On Sunday I described the Packers loss to the Vikings as one of the "Most Painful Losses Ever". Some of you brought up some very good examples of losses that were much worse, which made me realize I may have over-stated things a little bit.Nick Barnett would probably disagree.
Barnett, the Packers' best linebacker, left the game early yesterday after roughing up his knee. Today, doctors have found he has a torn knee ligament, and will miss the remainder of the season.
The Packers have already dealt with the scare of losing one of their best defensive starters when Al Harris sat out with a spleen injury earlier this season. Harris was able to return, but things don't look as bright in the Barnett scenario. This is a huge blow to the Packers, who can't afford injuries like this as they put together a playoff run.
Desmond Bishop and Brandon Chillar will likely see increased playing time as a result of the injury.
8 comments:
last three losses are by a total of 7 points.
Sorry Winks, but this is a classic case of addition by subtraction.
Barnett was anything but our best linebacker this year. He improved last year, and I thought he had finally turned a corner (for years, I preached that he was playing out of position and should be a WSLB). But alas, Barnett pulled the wool over my eyes, as he slipped back to his own ways. Put bluntly: he regressed. He has been slow and reticent; he looks like a corner back (and not even a physical one, like Harris, Woodson, or Williams) playing linebacker. Embarrassing, really.
I would slide Hawk over to middle and then put Chillar in Hawk's place--these seems like the most natural fit. Chillar has been playing too well lately to keep on the sidelines, and this would put Hawk in a playmaking position--now we can see if he really is just mediocre.
The other option would be to keep Bishop at MLB, which is really not that bad of an idea either. Yes, Bishop pretty much singlehandedly gave up that TD catch to Taylor, but after that, he settled down and played quite nicely, registering six tackles. He also jacked up Peterson and stripped him on that fourth down play.
That was a bigger play than Barnett has made all year.
In essence, this is my long-winded way of saying that I really don't think we will lament the loss of Barnett as much as you think. Cullen Jenkins is the guy we miss now and will continue to miss the next seven games.
Losing Barnett, however, will be no biggie.
he hasnt been the same since club 56 was closed
I believe Barnett has the Packer record for most tackles in a season. Too bad over half of them were tackles after 8 yard gains. I agree Barnett is a bit overrated...however he will be greatly missed because he's the defensive captain and a team leader. Guys like that are hard to replace.
I know I'll miss his superfluous samurai chops.
They always fired me up.
I love the samurai chop because how gay it is but he kept doing it throughout the years anyways. I'd think someone would've told him how lame it was but apparently noone has.
I think the Packers have quite a bit of depth at LB.. I'm no Barnett hater, but I believe Bishop and Chillar are both very talented and will step in and do fine.
You don't have to be a Barnett hater to state the obvious: dude sucks a bag o' d's this year.
Post a Comment